All Oregon Pot Must Now Be Tested For Pesticides

As of Thursday, the Oregon Health Authority is requiring that all cannabis product batches be tested for pesticides, as the state’s temporary rules governing pesticides expire and permanent rules take over.

“In October 2016, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission issued a finding that the pesticide testing requirement would be lowered to a minimum of one-third of batches of usable marijuana within every harvest lot, due to insufficient lab capacity.”

When the state proposed those possible changes to testing protocols for cannabis, they sought public input. Public response to keep the testing rules as they were, and not lower them, was overwhelming.

“Of course, we do. I’ve undergone chemo for breast cancer. Cannabis helps my appetite and my sleep patterns, which are totally off,” Helen G. told High Times in a telephone interview. “If the cannabis I ingest is not clean, I could develop serious problems.”

In the past several months, significant changes have occurred that have increased the lab testing capacity to ensure a steady flow of product through the supply chain.